Plot Twist!
by vampiresquid42
Summary: Arthur has been acting strange lately and Merlin is determined to find out why, no matter what it takes. The outcome will surprise them both. Crack!fic. No slash. Oneshot.


**A/N: So this fic is complete crack – or at least my version of it, which contains just a tiny bit of angst. But still. Completely random. Inspired by a tumblr "Plot Twist" joke post a while ago and it gave me this idea, which I decided to write instead of sleeping one night...**

**So I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or Arthur or magic or dragons or anything of the sort, as much as I wish I did...**

The king had been acting strange these past couple days. It was like he was avoiding Merlin. Even when he was forced to interact with his manservant, he completely avoided eye contact and acted as if he didn't exist. Every time Merlin tried to say something to him, the king gave him the silent treatment. Merlin was beginning to get fed up! This was ridiculous! If only Arthur knew how many times he, Merlin, had saved that prat of a king's life, he would at least be a little more respectful, instead of taking out all of his frustrations on Merlin when he'd done nothing wrong! Something had to be done.

So Merlin decided to formulate a plan. He was going to make Arthur talk to him, whatever it took.

* * *

The next morning he walked into the king's room. Now, normally, he would wake the king by opening the curtain – the bright sunlight shining through the window onto the king's face, waking him up gently yet effectively. Then when Arthur woke up (sometimes with a bit of urging), he would give him the breakfast prepared by the cooks earlier in the morning and the king would begin the tedious daily processes of being king.

But today, he didn't do that. Instead, he approached the door. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the _**fun**_ that would follow (even he was unsure if that '_fun_' was sarcastic or not). Finally, mentally prepared for what he was about to do that could quite possibly earn him a place in the stocks, if not worse, he slammed open the door. It made an unexpectedly loud _'__**CRASH!**__'_ against the wall, startling the king. Unfortunately, when Arthur is startled, as any good knight would do, he assumed it was an attack and he proceeded to jump out of bed, grab his sword, and stand ready for the worst.

Merlin grinned at the sight and yelled, "_GOOD MORNING, SIRE_! It's time to wake up and face the day."

Seeing that Merlin had been the cause for the disturbance, Arthur groaned in frustration. He then decided it would be a good idea to just go back to bed and pretend this never happened. It would just be better for everyone this way – he got to sleep, Merlin didn't get himself killed, everybody wins!

But Merlin wasn't having it, "Come on dollophead it's time to get up! Don't be such a _girl_." He was being as annoying as he could muster and he knew that this would be _guaranteed_ to irritate the king.

Arthur turned and glared at him. After a moment of deliberation, he did decide to get up out of bed after all, if only to have the satisfaction of killing Merlin. But first, breakfast! He walked over to the table, to his regular spot and reached for his food only to realize, to his great horror and disbelief, that it wasn't there.  
He scrunched his eyebrows, "What's the meaning if this Merlin?!" Now, Merlin had done a lot of stupid things in his life, but this was by far the worst. You did not come between a tired, hungry Pendragon and his breakfast.

Merlin grinned, "Ah, so you're talking to me now, that's progress."

Arthur looked angry, then confused for a moment, and then it seemed he remembered that he was meant to be gloomy and his face dropped, an almost guilty look on his face.

At that Merlin's face dropped as well and there was an awkward silence between them. After several minutes of one waiting for the other to do something, Merlin sighed and fetched Arthur's breakfast from right outside the door where he left it. He was stupid, but he wasn't that stupid to not even have the breakfast there as a backup. It was time for plan B, which in Merlin's opinion, was not nearly as exciting as plan A.

He quietly brought it to the king and placed it before him. Then, when the king awkwardly began eating, still without saying a word and the sad look not leaving his face, Merlin sat down at the spot beside him.

He stared intently at Arthur until Arthur was forced to return the gaze, after which his eyes darted away immediately and he looked almost scared.

"Arthur." Merlin stated seriously. "What's wrong? You haven't been yourself."

Arthur's eyes widened as he flicked his gaze around the room as if looking for an escape.

Merlin got frustrated and slammed his hand against the table, startling Arthur into giving Merlin his full attention, "Damn it, Arthur! Just tell me what the hell is the matter with you?!" Merlin exclaimed, the language and tone surprising both himself and Arthur.

Arthur blinked several times, a sign of his lingering shock at Merlin's outburst. Then, he got serious, as if considering his course of action. Merlin waited patiently.

Finally, after several long moments, it appeared he had made his decision, but his will faltered when he met Merlin's patient yet intense gaze. He got up suddenly, turning his back on Merlin. And Merlin let him because he could feel that something big was coming. Like Kilgharrah revealing his destiny kind of big.

"Merlin, there's something I should tell you. I'm not sure why, but I feel it's something you need to know." Merlin couldn't see his face, but he could almost imagine him screwing up his face in displeasure.

Suddenly he turned and glared at Merlin and demanded, "You cannot tell anyone, understand? No matter what, this must remain secret!"

Merlin just nodded. _Something really serious must be going on, _he thought. His mind raced at all the possibilities.

"I've had this new feeling recently. I'm not sure how to describe it..." He paused.

Merlin was unsure where he was headed with this.

"It's almost like I feel more alive! More exhilarated, more powerful, almost invincible. But also scared, more scared than I've been in my life," He paused, giving Merlin a meaningful look, "And I feel it especially when I'm with you." He raised his eyebrows and looked at Merlin, gauging his reaction so far.

Merlin's eyes widened starting to understand what the king may be saying..._No it can't be, _he thought to himself, _Does he mean...No...It can't be...What about Gwen?! I thought he loved her! He definitely loves her right? This cannot be what I think it is._..He gazed back at his king in fear and dread at what would come out next.

This reaction seemed to make Arthur all the more nervous, which then fueled Merlin's suspicions even further until he was almost certain of what would come next.

Arthur bit his lip and his eyes shifted around the room, looking at anything except for Merlin, "I think..."

_How to turn him down politely, without risking my life? He'd be angry I'm sure, but something like that would only create trouble, surely. Plus, Gwen would _kill_ me!_

"I..." Arthur stuttered again, still not able to spit out what he was thinking.

Merlin decided he would just be blunt about his rejection. He could not return the king's feelings. It would be best that way. For everyone involved.

"I think I..."

_Tell him it's something everyone goes through at some point in their life. He was just confused is all. It is Gwen he _truly_ loves._

Arthur, tired if stuttering like a fool, took a deep breath before just deciding to let it all out.

"I think I have magic!" He exclaimed, cringing, eyes closed, not really wanting to see Merlin's face right then.

"I'm sorry Arthur!" Merlin started, already prepared with an answer, and not really having listened to what the king actually said, "But I don't return your feelings! You are merely confused. It happens to the best of us! But it is Gwen you truly love. You have to believe me! It's best for everyone!"

Both men were silent for a moment, each processing what the other said.

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows, realization dawning on him, "Wait..._what_ did you say?"

Arthur looked taken aback as realization took its turn in him, "What did you think I was saying?!"

It was Merlin's turn to stutter, "I...I merely thought that...well you had been avoiding me, then you...err...talking about feelings and how they were strong when you were with me and...ummm...I was trying to say I don't return those feelings in the nicest way possible without getting me killed or at least put in the stocks...and...and..." He couldn't figure out what else to say so he just trailed off into silence.

Arthur's eyes were still wide with shock and his mouth turned down in confusion at how Merlin could possibly think...

Then Merlin chimed in softly, "Sire, you said you thought you had magic didn't you?" His voice was gentle and this brought Arthur out if his horrified reverie.

Arthur inhaled and quickly exhaled a soft, "Yea." Then he took a short breath and its like all his thoughts exploded out of him, "Like, I started having weird dreams and I woke up and suddenly stuff was flying everywhere and it was kind of terrifying, but amazing at the same time and I've never felt so alive but so scared at the same time..." He trailed off as well, not wanting to sound like a complete fool, not used to sharing his inner feelings with anyone.

Merlin's face was stoic for a moment before he suddenly grinned, "That's fantastic, sire!"

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise, "It is?!" This was evidently not the reaction he was expecting.

"Yes! Of course!" Merlin replied. Then he went up to Arthur and took hold of his shoulders, taking a deep breath, his whole life led up to this moment, "Because guess what?! So do I!" He was so excited, he finally had someone to truly share his burden with!

"Really!?" Arthur exclaimed, "How come you never told me?!" Arthur actually seemed ecstatic.

"I was just so scared you'd execute me or think I betrayed you or something!" Merlin explained to him, his old fears evident in his worried facial expression.

"How could I think that? I would never do anything of the sort!" He looked deeply into Merlin's eyes, "Merlin, you are the best friend I could ever have." His face was completely serious.

Then suddenly both men embraced each other like long lost brothers. They finally found the other side of their coin, the other person they could fully relate to. Someone that would understand what it was like to live with magic – be magic – in a world where it was despised and banned. All those perilous tasks. All those impossible decisions. All those dark sad lonely nights. Like long lost brothers they found each other! Finally, they—

* * *

_**"MEEEERRRRRRLIIIIIIIIIIN!"**_

_A loud angry yell started Merlin and he sat up and rubbed his eyes. Wait, he was in bed. That wasn't right. _

_The door to his bedroom slammed open and in walked a very angry looking King Arthur._

_"Merlin, you idiot. You are late again. And because of you being so incompetent in failing to wake me up, I was absent at _myown_ council meeting. Do you know how humiliating that is Merlin? Well?!" Even Arthur's hair looked angry, if that was even possible. It stuck out at all odd angles. He really did need a haircut. _

_Merlin, still being groggy and contemplating the king's hair, had no immediate answer. So the king continued, "No? Nothing to say for yourself. Well for that you'll receive a week in the stocks for your incompetence. And you'll have to muck out the stables. Every day. For a month. We'll see how you enjoy being humiliated in front of your peers and smelling like a horses behind!" He smiled that devilishly angry smile and stormed out._

_Merlin shook his head, unsure exactly what happened. That whole thing – Arthur having magic, Merlin finally able to confess his own, Arthur actually agreeing to hug him – it must've been a dream. _That's too bad_...he thought wearily. _It would have been a nice change...

_Just then, Gaius walked into Merlin's room with his ever inquisitive eyebrow and asked, "What was that all about?"_

_Merlin just smiled, "Oh the usual. I'm an incompetent idiot and he is a prat. There's nothing that will ever change that..."_

**The End.**

**A/N: I know. Cliché – it was all just a dream. Though you have to wonder what Freud would say about Merlin dreaming that Arthur was confessing his love for him...But really no. I actually don't ship them, but it's a funny image – like the hug scene! When Merlin's like "I thought you were going in for the hug?" and Arthur's just "Noooo..." and its deliciously awkward. I do think Merlin still wants a hug from Arthur though...**

**Anyway, if anyone spotted the completely random reference, virtual muffins to you! You're life is awesome!**

**I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are always welcome!**


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